Wincanton wrap: Rubaud completes Nicholls four-timer

A date with the mighty Constitution Hill at Kempton Park on Boxing Day now awaits Rubaud, who maintained his unbeaten start to the season with a fine front-running success in the JenningsBet Elite Hurdle and brought up a memorable four-timer for trainer Paul Nicholls.

Already a dual Grade Two winner entering the race, the Chris Giles and Brendan McManus-owned gelding added a third victory at that level to his name when successfully giving weight away all round to provide trainer Paul Nicholls with his fourth winner on the card and jockey Harry Cobden his third.

After securing victory from the front in a Listed contest on his return at Kempton Park last month the 1-2 Favourite was sent straight into the lead by Cobden once again in his bid to make it two wins from as many starts this term.

Having dictated matters from the outset it looked like Rubaud might have a fight on his hands entering the home straight for the final time with Hansard, who was last sighted finishing fourth in the Grade One Poundland Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree, still appearing to be travelling well.

However, the race soon turned into a one-horse contest with Rubuad putting his assured race fitness to good use before finding another gear late on to score by four and a quarter lengths and earn a 33-1 quote for the Unibet Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March with the race sponsor.

"Someone has to take Constitution Hill on"

Nicholls said: “He is just improving rapidly. He goes a gallop, he jumps and he quickens. He sprinted away from the back of the last there and you wouldn’t know what is in the back of the tank. We like improving horses like that.

“It was a nice race at Kempton Park and he has improved since then. I loved the way he quickened over the back of the second last after he winged that. I could see Harry was sat in front just waiting.

“The plan is to go to the Christmas Hurdle on Boxing Day then come back here for the Kingwell after Christmas. When they start improving you don’t know where they will end up and the Christmas Hurdle will give us a marker where we are.

“Someone has got to take Constitution Hill on. We will go there and if we finished second we will be delighted.

“He will be a lovely two-mile chaser next season. We will just pick our races this season with him.”

Knappers Hill runs out poignant winner

Paul Nicholls is not one for showing his emotions but he was left fighting back the tears after Knappers Hill put in a near foot perfect round of jumping to carry the colours of his late landlord and close friend Paul Barber to victory in the Boodles “Rising Stars” Novices’ Chase at Wincanton today.

Having enjoyed many great days with Barber, who died aged 80 in June, including winning the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1999 with See More Business and Denman in 2008, the Ditcheat handler watched on with a tear in his eye as gelded son of Valirann plundered the Grade Two contest.

Although meeting with defeat on his chasing debut at Chepstow 28 days ago the dual Grade Two hurdles winner, who is now owned by Barber’s two sons Chris and Giles together with Paul Vogt, was sent off the 4-5 Favourite to make amends for that defeat and claim a third victory at the same level.

And his supporters were never given a moment’s doubt with Harry Cobden enjoying a perfect spin aboard the market leader before pushing him out to score by four and a quarter lengths to give Nicholls his third success on the card and a second win on the day for the triumphant rider.

Nicholls said: “It is great that all of Paul’s family are here today. Paul would have been proud of that. He has been so good to me, and I’ve missed him a lot this year. He left a big hole in my life. This has been the target to try and win this.

“I’m a bit emotional really as Paul would have loved that. He loved that horse as well. He went to see him every day. To see him win in his colours he would have absolutely loved that. That was brilliant.

“We purchased him together at the Goffs Land Rover (stores) sale and he has just never stopped winning. He will run in Paul’s colours this season which is brilliant. The boys will love this.

“Paul has been such a great man to me. He was always there when things weren’t going right. He picked the phone up to me every single night.

“I’m just so chuffed for the whole family. Paul would have been watching down. It was brilliant.

“He could possibly go to Newbury next (for the Coral John Francome Novices’ Chase).”

Blackjack proves Magic in Badger Beer

Anthony Honeyball might have only considered running Blackjack Magic in the 62nd Badger Beer Handicap Chase as an afterthought, however but was rewarded for rolling the dice with a tenacious success from the second season chaser in the Premier Handicap at Wincanton today.

One of four runners in the race for the Mosterton handler, the progressive eight-year-old showed his liking for a stamina test when making the most of the weight he was receiving from all bar his stablemate Forward Plan in the three miles and one furlong feature.

Racing just in behind the early pace, which was cut out first by eventual third, and last year’s winner Frodon, and then The Big Breakaway, the 5-1 chance pressed on into an advantage under Rex Dingle that he would not surrender at the 14th fence.

Rounding the home turn for the final time Blackjack Magic was still moving well in front, however he was quickly pursued by Threeunderthrufive and Frodon approaching the line of three fences up the home straight.

Rex Dingle hails "brilliant" Badger Beer triumph

With Frodon soon feeling the pinch it quickly became a straight match between Blackjack Magic and Threeunderthrufive (3-1 Favourite) over the final two fences, which both measured well enough, leaving them to produce an entertaining battle up the run in.

Despite his best efforts Threeunderthrufive could not quite reel Blackjack Magic in with three lengths separating the pair at the line with Frodon a further 14 lengths adrift in third.

Honeyball said: “The betting had it right all morning it seems.

“We thought he would need it a bit. It was not a 17-runner affair so we thought let him take his chance and have a round of jumping and that is what we have done.

“He wasn’t really targeted like Sam Brown and Forward Plan, who were always coming here. He was just an afterthought. The options weren’t there for us but he is a novice stepping forward and we thought he might have a chance.

Honeyball expresses his delight with big-race success at Wincanton

“The race at Uttoxeter must have worked out quite well and I think people were climbing on the back of that. His best form for us was on soft and heavy. He always held that advantage.

“I thought Threeunderthrufive would eventually pick us up just with fitness telling us on a but that was very good.

“It was a very good boost. I was worried we were going to get beat. He is obviously one to catch fresh, but he looked big and burly to me.

“We feel he wants a bit of daylight so he had to start out bit wide but he managed to come in and have a nice economical round. He was saving all the time. He has got a bit of speed to him and that enabled him to get a fill of the lungs. It is funny how it has come right for him.”

Nicholls pleased with his second and third

An outing in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury next month beckons for Threeunderthrufive according to trainer Paul Nicholls while Frodon could head to Kempton Park on Boxing Day for the Ladbrokes King George VI Chase.

Nicholls said: “Threeunderthrufive ran a belter giving a bit of weight away. He is in the Coral Gold Cup off 10st 6lbs and he won’t get a penalty and won’t go up in the weights so that is a positive and he is likely to go there.

“He has run a cracker. He was giving more than a stone in weight to the winner. If he jumped a bit more fluently over the last two he might have been closer. There is a big handicap in him somewhere.

“We thought all week it might be tacky enough for Frodon, but he has run a solid race to finish third. He is in the King George and he might run in that on decent ground. He might be better off in that if there is a small field off level weights as opposed to running off a big weight in a handicap.

“Bryony said he just wants slightly better ground, but he has run a super race.”

Charm brings up 113-1 double for Honeyball

Jubilant scenes were played out by members of The Isle Of Blue And White syndicate after Good Look Charm ended a spell in the doldrums with a game victory in the JenningsBet Richard Barber Memorial Mares’ Hurdle.

Out of luck in six starts over fences last season the seven year old mare made an instant impact on her return to hurdles when scooping the most valuable pot of her career in the extended two miles and five furlongs prize which is run in memory of point-to-point trainer Richard Barber, who died in 2019.

Purchased for £26,000 out of the Goffs UK Spring horses-in-training in 2021 the daughter of Cokoriko showed an admirable attitude to defeat Vicki Vale by two and a half lengths to complete a 113-1 double on the card for trainer Anthony Honeyball and jockey Rex Dingle.

James Whittle, member of The Isle Of Blue And White, said of the 18-1 winner: “We won this race with Lily Waugh in 2015. We thought she had on her best form a bit of a chance, but we thought she might just need it.

“She ran a grand race, and we had nothing to lose from coming here versus going to Exeter so we are absolutely delighted.

“I thought we might get caught, but I know she is really gutsy, and she showed that when she won at Exeter.

“Rex has given her a fantastic ride. She schooled so well at home over fences, but it never came off for her last season. I purchased at Doncaster from Carl Hinchy. He is a good lad and he advised me to buy her.”

Meatloaf finds right note

Although Meatloaf has yet to race at the highest level, trainer Paul Nicholls hopes an outing against Grade One opposition could materialise before the season is out after the four-year-old made a triumphant return to action in the EBF Stallions “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle.

The gelded son of Doctor Dino continued the Ditcheat handler’s recent domination in this race with an eighth success since 2014 by making it three wins from as many appearances at the Somerset track. 

Racing in the front two throughout, the 10-11 favourite only needed to be pushed out to score by three lengths to give jockey Harry Cobden his seventh win in the race in the last eight seasons. 

Nicholls said: “I did say to Harry don’t lead over the first two as he will be green as he has been a bit like that at home, but then he got good. 

“That is what novice hurdles are for, and he will improve tons. He is a lovely horse, and he will just get better and better. 

“It has just happened (that all of his wins have been around here) and it is circumstances more than anything. This is where I was always going to start him. 

“He is a smart horse and I like him a lot. He won two races last season, and he was not beaten not far at Cheltenham last season. He will get better with experience. 

“He is sharp, and two miles is fine for him. He might even progress to run at Aintree in that Grade One (Formby Novices’ Hurdle on Boxing Day).”

Dream weekend continues for Gingell

Conditional jockey Freddie Gingell completed what has been a memorable two days after Huelgoat made a welcome return to form following a 199-day break in the Boodles Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase.

Less than 24 hours after celebrating the first Grade Two victory of his career aboard Elixir de Nutz in the Betway Haldon Gold Cup at Exeter, the 17 year-old - who will ride Il Ridoto for Nicholls in the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham next Saturday - was back among the winners aboard the Voiladenuo gelding.

Biding his time on the 4-1 chance, Gingell sent his mount on over the second last past longtime leader Enjoy Your Life before securing victory by three lengths.

Nicholls said: “He was on the floor at the cross fence, but it ended up being a good result. Freddie gave him a super ride. I’ve sort of aimed him at this race.

“He ran very well at Worcester in that seventy-thousand-pound race over hurdles, but he got a little bit behind before he stayed on quite strongly.

“It was just a matter of him jumping well enough, which he did, bar one mistake at the cross fence which he did well to recover from. Freddie is improving rapidly and he is a good lad.

“He has got some rides to look forward and he will ride Il Ridoto in the Paddy Power Gold Cup next weekend. He has just taken his time and he is not in a hurry.”

Pearl set for Listed company

Horaces Pearl (7-2 Favourite) set up a tilt at Listed company after receiving a little help from above to secure a poignant success for joint owner Matt Burford when running out the winner of the concluding Join The Harry Fry Racing Syndicate Open National Hunt Flat Race.

Named after Burford’s late mum and dad, the Fergal O’Brien-trained five-year-old backed up his debut success at the track on his sole start last season 209 days ago when successfully giving away weight all round in the one mile seven furlong to defeat debutant Roman Roy by three quarters of a length.

Sally Randell, assistant trainer, said: “This is why we came here today. He is a nice horse and he missed Cheltenham last month as he was not quite one hundred per cent right.

“I said to Matt (Burford who owns the horse with his wife Sally) don’t worry about Cheltenham, come back to Wincanton on Badger Beer day where he won before then if we win with a penalty we can go to the Listed race at Ascot then go hurdling.

“He is so genuine. The horse is named after Matt’s mum and dad who are both gone but are being remembered here.”